Soup mode

 I can't get into this second summer. I feel like if I do I'll be like those foolish flowers that bloom twice and then get snuffed out by the frost.

I finally finished the girls' two scrappy cardigans. Ivy's disappeared as soon as it was done, but imagine there are two. 

I had a rummage through my yarn looking for inspiration and found a couple of big-ish granny squares I'd apparently started at some point but had no idea what they were intended for, so carried them on and made a squishy vest in preparation for Autumn. 

I'll have to have another look tonight for something else to get my teeth into. I'm not sure what I want to make - the girls are after a crochet jumper each for winter but I need to buy the bulk of the wool for that and can't really buy anything this month. I might take stock of all I have and begin on little bits and bobs for Christmas presents. 

Speaking of Christmas, yesterday I got our sloe gin going, using sloes from last year that I found in the freezer. I have also put on some spiced pear vodka using pears from the garden. I don't know what I'm doing there, so we'll see how that on turns out. 

I had an extraordinarily busy day yesterday (which might explain why I fell asleep on the sofa for an hour this afternoon, and have a swollen throat and no voice today)

I finally emptied out the freezer in the utility room and listed that for sale - that's gone already, I listed it for just £20, I wanted it gone and I hope that it's helped someone out - and had a mega clean and reorganise of the utility room which had become so mucky and full and dark and grotty. I can't describe how different it is in there now, the room looks twice the size and is finally spotless. I did manage to take a before a couple of weeks ago, although this was already after I had sold the fridge. 

Bliss. 

Last night Ivy had her first ballet class in the studio at the theatre in town now that she has moved up classes. We all dropped her off, and then had a nice walk through the marina to the beach and then back again, and felt so lucky to live in such a place. 

This is a view of the civic centre, which is quite a remarkable building, the future of which is looking uncertain. I hope that it will be saved and put to some good use. 

Tomorrow looks like rain and my illness comes and goes like the tide. I think we might be having a housey day, Will has threatened to start work on the pantry cupboard in the kitchen, which would be a dream as I would like to keep my appliances there and get them out of the cupboard under the sink.